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. : About me : .
 Name::Sapphire Dakini From::Santa Fe, NM, United States "The secret of life is in art." - Oscar Wilde View My Profile . : Artist Statement : .
My art is an exploration of the importance of change and releasing the past, especially the people and situations
that hinder personal growth, empowerment and transformation. The utilization of mythic figures, archetypes, motifs
and themes allows me to explore letting go of the familiar, safe and secure in order to travel to the dark, often
frightening, places of the soul. In this way, I've learned to trust my inner voice and honor my soul's need for
expression and challenge. . : Recent Posts : .
Words of Wisdom from the Daily Om . : Archives : .
May 2005 . :Blog Rings : .
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. : Social Media : . . : Daily Om : .
. : Portfolio : .
www.flickr.com
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. : Printmaking : .
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Artists Foundation . : Yahoo Groups : .
Art Dollz . : Blogrolls : .
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Sunday, May 31, 2009The Plotting & Planning ContinuesI've spent absolutely no time in the studio since the semester ended even though I have quite a bit of artwork I need to finish before the fall semester starts in September. I'm also hoping to take an online course, Women Artists of the American West, at the University of New Mexico in the Fall. But I've been extremely productive on a number of other fronts. The website for Gypsy Wolf is live so I can start promoting my marketing services for artists & arts organizations. This should be a nice counterpoint to my day job of marketing for a technology company. I'm making progress on setting up my Etsy store, Fusion Textile Arts. The worst part of this project is photographing the beaded jewelry. I'm not the best photographer to start with & jewelry seems to be particularly challenging for some reason. My goal is to have the store open for business by June 15th. TransCultural Exchange announced Here, There and Everywhere: The Art of Collaboration this morning. Although it isn't posted on the website yet, I've posted to our blog, Twitter, our LinkedIn group, & our Facebook group. I'm interested in seeing how much of an impact social media marketing will have on the number of applications for this project. The last collaborative project, Here, There and Everywhere: The Future of Art resulted in ~60 projects around the world. And in my spare time, I'm studying the materials I purchased from Location Independent Lifestyle & The Art of Non-Conformity as well as Seth Godin's books... Tribes, Meatball Sundae, The Dip, Small is the New Big, Free Prize Inside, & Unleashing the IdeaVirus. I also need to revisit my 2009 goals. There have been a number of major shifts since the beginning of the year that need to be accounted for. Fortunately all of the changes have been positive. My word for 2009 is "transformation" & it's certainly turning out to be a year of that. It's going to be a very, very busy summer. Labels: Etsy store, Fusion Textile Arts, Gypsy Wolf, Here There Everywhere 2011, life, TransCultural Exchange 
Monday, May 25, 2009Words of Wisdom from the Daily OmExpressing Your Range "You are likely feeling quite expressive today, compelled by a desire to articulate your creativity in all of your pursuits. An intense need to show the world your authentic self can influence your choices as you gravitate toward activities that allow you to use the full range of your talents. If you let this developing creative flow manifest itself in your experience today, you will likely discover that your endeavors take on a new depth & color. You may find yourself implementing equilibrium-based methods while satisfying your usual obligations. Consequently, you may feel a new sense of wholeness that is likely the result of your balanced approach to living. Each of us is gifted with many skills & aptitudes that allow us to prosper on our chosen paths as well as a range of talents that serve to bring us joy in our daily lives. When we focus on the latter as well as the former, we ensure that our roster of accomplishments is as well-rounded as we are. To express the full range of our capabilities, we must embrace the wide variety of gifts we have been granted. This can mean acting creatively as well as diligently & spontaneously as well as meticulously. However we choose to demonstrate our authenticity to the world, our commitment to whole-self accomplishment will ensure that we never neglect any 1 part of ourselves. As you express your individuality through your pursuits today, you will find a great deal of satisfaction in using all the abilities you have at your disposal." - Daily Om Labels: Daily Om
Saturday, May 23, 2009Submission for the FPAC Summer Show        Labels: chine colle, Fort Point Arts Community, printmaking, solarplate
Friday, May 22, 2009What I'm Reading "The old saying is wrong — winners do quit & quitters do win.Every new project (or job, or hobby, or company) starts out exciting & fun. Then it gets harder & less fun, until it hits a low point — really hard & not much fun at all. Then you find yourself asking if the goal is even worth the hassle. Maybe you're in a Dip — a temporary setback that will get better if you keep pushing. But maybe it's really a Cul-de-Sac, which will never get better, no matter how hard you try. According to Seth Godin, what really sets superstars apart from everyone else is the ability to escape dead ends quickly, while staying focused & motivated when it really counts. Winners quit fast, quit often & quit without guilt — until they commit to beating the right Dip for the right reasons. In fact, winners seek out the Dip. They realize that the bigger the barrier, the bigger the reward for getting past it. If you can become number 1 in your niche, you'll get more than your fair share of profits, glory & long-term security. Losers, on the other hand, fall into 2 basic traps. Either they fail to stick out the Dip — they get to the moment of truth & then give up — or they never even find the right Dip to conquer. Whether you're a graphic designer or an aspiring CEO, this little book will help you figure out if you're in a Dip that's worthy of your time, effort & talents. If you are, The Dip will inspire you to hang tough. If not, it will help you find the courage to quit — so you can be number 1 at something else." Labels: books
Wednesday, May 20, 2009Words of Wisdom from the Daily OmBoldly Growing into Your Own Fear of the Future "Though much human fear is based on uncertainty, foreknowledge does not always ease the mind. It is often when our futures look brightest that our resolve crumbles & we veer off course. We can recognize that success is on the horizon, but we cannot discern how it will impact our lives. Because success can affect us in complex & unpredictable ways, taking us out of the status quo & pushing us into new circumstances that test our limits, the mere idea of attaining the life of our dreams can shake us to the core. Fear of the future is often closely intermingled with the fear that growing into your own potential will both change you irrevocably & force you to face situations that you aren’t ready for. It is normal to unconsciously project ahead into the future & see success as a great weight bearing down on you. It is important to remember, however, that all the life changes the future will bring will be implemented into your life slowly & gradually. When we visualize the future, we tend to focus on outcomes rather than the steps we will take to reach those conclusions. Thus, we may forget that growth is progressive. Your soul longs to fulfill its purpose — a purpose you agreed to in the timelessness in which you existed before your birth. Because of this, neither you nor the universe will set any circumstance before you that you are not capable of handling. Fear of the future can paralyze you, preventing you from living in the moment & from working toward your goals in a mindful manner. The key to conquering this fear lies in awareness. When you can identify the irrational thoughts that frighten you, you can replace them with logical, self-affirming ideas. If you are afraid that you won’t be satisfied when you accomplish a certain goal, remember that no one achievement represents an end in & of itself. If you fear recognition or feel unworthy, consider that even now you are deserving of praise. Should fear of the future strike you as you strive to create, to excel, to grow, & to evolve, assert your courage. Assume that your fear is based on a false assumption & quell it with facts. Try to disregard past patterns & focus on the present by stilling the inner voice that comments critically on all you do. Tell yourself that the inevitability of your success is based not on luck or a universal mistake but on your already established talents, drive, imagination, & inner strength. Each time you overcome your fear of the future, you chip away at its very foundations. Eventually, you will clear a gap through which you can gaze upon the future with unhindered optimism." - Daily Om Labels: Daily Om
 "As 1 of today's most influential business thinkers, Seth Godin helps his army of fans stay focused, stay connected & stay dissatisfied with the status quo, the ordinary, the boring. His books, blog posts, magazine articles & speeches have inspired countless entrepreneurs, marketing people, innovators & managers around the world.Now, for the 1st time, Godin has collected the most provocative short pieces from his pioneering blog -- ranked #70 by Feedster (out of millions published) in worldwide readership. This book also includes his most popular columns from Fast Company magazine & several of the short e-books he has written in the last few years. Small is the New Big is a huge bowl of inspiration that you can gobble in 1 sitting or dip into at any time. As Godin writes in his introduction: "I guarantee that you'll find some ideas that don't work for you. But I'm certain that you're smart enough to see the stuff you've always wanted to do, buried deep inside one of these riffs. And I'm betting that once inspired, you'll actually make something happen." There's actually a huge stack of books that I'm working my way through over the next few months... Creating a Life Worth Living, Living the Artist's Life, Quantuum Success, Social Media Marketing, The Small Business Start-Up Guide, Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself, A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future, How to Make It Big as a Consultant, Unleashing the Ideavirus, Free Prize Inside: How to Make a Purple Cow, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, The 4-Hour Workweek, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit & When to Stick. Are you seeing the pattern? Since I'm not taking any classes this summer, I'm also spending time studying Kiki Smith & Nancy Spero, as well as studying Rock Art Symbols by Alex Patterson. Labels: books
Tuesday, May 19, 2009SMFA's 2009 CE ExhibitionWell, here are my entries for this year's SMFA CE Exhibition. I'm dropping them off tonight. All 3 are solarplate etchings.    Labels: chine colle, photo and digital applications in printmaking, printmaking, solarplate
Monday, May 18, 2009What I'm Listening To "A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader & an idea. For millions of years, humans have been seeking out tribes, be they religious, ethnic, economic, political, or even musical (think of the Deadheads). It's our nature. Now the Internet has eliminated the barriers of geography, cost & time. All those blogs & social networking sites are helping existing tribes get bigger. But more important, they're enabling countless new tribes to be born -- groups of 10 or 10,000 or 10,000,000 who care about their iPhones, or a political campaign, or a new way to fight global warming. So the key question: Who is going to lead us? The Web can do amazing things, but it can't provide leadership. That still has to come from individuals -- people just like you who have passion about something. The explosion in tribes means that anyone who wants to make a difference now has the tools at her fingertips. If you think leadership is for other people, think again -- leaders come in surprising packages. Consider Joel Spolsky & his international tribe of scary-smart software engineers. Or Gary Vaynerhuck, a wine expert with a devoted following of enthusiasts. Chris Sharma leads a tribe of rock climbers up impossible cliff faces, while Mich Mathews, a VP at Microsoft, runs her internal tribe of marketers from her cube in Seattle. All they have in common is the desire to change things, the ability to connect a tribe & the willingness to lead. If you ignore this opportunity, you risk turning into a "sheepwalker" -- someone who fights to protect the status quo at all costs, never asking if obedience is doing you (or your organization) any good. Sheepwalkers don't do very well these days. Tribes will make you think (really think) about the opportunities in leading your fellow employees, customers, investors, believers, hobbyists, or readers. . . . It's not easy, but it's easier than you think." Labels: audiobooks
Tuesday, May 12, 2009What I'm Reading "Tales of a Female Nomad is the story of Rita Golden Gelman, an ordinary woman who is living an extraordinary existence. At the age of 48, on the verge of a divorce, Rita left an elegant life in L.A. to follow her dream of connecting with people in cultures all over the world. In 1986 she sold her possessions & became a nomad, living in a Zapotec village in Mexico, sleeping with sea lions on the Galapagos Islands & residing everywhere from thatched huts to regal palaces. She has observed orangutans in the rain forest of Borneo, visited trance healers & dens of black magic, & cooked with women on fires all over the world. Rita’s example encourages us all to dust off our dreams & rediscover the joy, the exuberance & the hidden spirit that so many of us bury when we become adults."Labels: books
Sunday, May 10, 2009The Fruits of This Weekend's LaborsAnother productive weekend in the studio getting ready for Monday night's final critique in Monoprinting. I'm extremely happy with the 1st print. The 2nd print has some possibilities but I think I would be happier if it was printed on white paper instead of blue. Although the blue paper does give it a certain moody ambiance. The 3rd print isn't too bad in person but my scanner seems to have done something odd with it. I also pulled a number of ghost prints for later use in chine colles.    Labels: chine colle, photo and digital applications in printmaking, printmaking, solarplate
Saturday, May 09, 2009What I'm Reading "In the days of layoffs, cutbacks & tough competition in the job market, Kieves reminds readers that life may be better outside the boardroom. When the Harvard-educated lawyer took a rare vacation from her job at a corporate law firm, she realized that she couldn't bear the thought of returning. Watching the sun set over crashing waves, she resolved to lead the life she'd always been longing to live -- that of a writer, teacher & creativity coach. This book of short, lively essays written by Kieves over the course of her journey of discovery & self-fulfillment includes anecdotes of embarrassing run-ins with former coworkers; disappointment or disbelief from relatives & mere acquaintances alike; & the challenge of paying the bills on an artist's salary. Kieves triumphs again & again by trusting herself & not giving up. Undaunted by her own experiences with self-doubt & rejection letters, Kieves encourages her readers to "live unreasonably" & "step into the river" of their dream lives."Labels: books
Friday, May 08, 2009It's All About the LinksThere were a couple of very interesting online discoveries this week. The 1st was The Art of Non-Conformity: Unconventional Strategies for Life, Work & Travel. Chris Guillebeau's goals is to visit every country in the world by the time he turns 35. So far he's made it to 107 countries. His blog led me to Location Independent: Live & Work Anywhere You Choose & Lea's Build a Location Independent Business course. I guess it's true what they say... people & information come to you when you're ready to receive it. There are a few other blogs that I want to highlight even though they aren't necessarily new discoveries. Journey Juju describes Cynthia's year of living in Europe as a "creative nomad". This should be mandatory reading for anyone who has ever thought about just giving up their "normal" day-to-day life. Making Dreams Work focuses on taking those all important first steps in creating a life that will feed your soul. Mira's List provides information on grants, residencies, fellowships & resources for artists & writers. TransCultural Exchange has launched a social media marketing campaign in order to continue to build our online communities. To receive the latest information on the bi-annual conference on international opportunities for artists & international residencies, please subscribe to our blog. You can also find us on LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter. You can also find me on LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter. Labels: life
I'm still working with the distressed wall concept in the 1st & 2nd print. These were printed on the rough side of a Thai banana paper. The image of the face in the 2nd print came out much clearer than I wanted. I'm looking for a much more "aged" feeling so there's still some work to be done on that print after it dries. The 3rd print was printed on a shiny white paper that has gold & silver flecks. I was hoping the paper would help lighten up the print. Unfortunately, I used an aquatint when creating the plate so the image is a little too dark for me.     Labels: chine colle, photo and digital applications in printmaking, printmaking, solarplate
Thursday, May 07, 2009Words of Wisdom from the Daily OmSteps To Freedom Change What Isn’t Working "We have all had the experience of realizing that something in our lives is not working. This knowledge can come as a sudden realization or a nagging feeling of doubt that grows stronger, waking us up to the fact that something needs to change. Some people have a tendency to act rashly & make sweeping changes before even understanding what the problem is. Other people fear change, so they live with the uncomfortable awareness that something needs to shift but won’t do anything about it. Between these 2 extreme responses lies a middle way that can help us powerfully & gracefully change what isn’t working in our lives. The 1st step is remembering that your life is made up of parts that belong to an interconnected whole. Changing 1 thing can change everything. Because of this, small changes often have a big effect. Sometimes much bigger changes are necessary, but the only way to know for sure is to take the time to really understand the problem. Examine your life as an entirety & determine what specifically is not functioning the way you would like. Once you have figured out the problem, write it down on a piece of paper. For example, "I am not happy with my relationship" or "I don’t like my apartment." The next step is to figure out the adjustment you would like to make & how you can go about making this change. If you are unhappy with your relationship because you spend too much or not enough time with your partner, you may want to discuss this problem with them & come up with a compromise. On the other hand, if you realize your relationship is not working to such a degree that it needs to end, begin working through that process. Writing down the truth can be a powerful catalyst for change. The key to making changes that work is to accept the necessity of change as part of life. As we change, we may find it necessary to fine-tune our relationships, work & living situations. Our lives are living, breathing entities that reflect our dynamic selves." - Daily Om Labels: Daily Om
Wednesday, May 06, 2009Words of Wisdom from the Daily OmFree To Discover "A need to liberate yourself from the constraints of your old ways of thinking about the world can come over you without warning today & you may consequently find yourself inspired to embark upon a journey of discovery encompassing spiritual, ethical & cultural concerns. Because you may be more willing than usual to open your consciousness to unfamiliar modes of being, your quest for answers will likely take you in many stimulating & unexpected directions. If you come across a concept or belief that arouses your ire today, try to remind yourself that you can appreciate a philosophy without having to embrace the whole of it. When we allow ourselves the freedom to explore many different ways of thinking & being without closing ourselves off from any as a result of our established preconceptions, we can be sure that the information we choose to integrate into our experiences is right for us. It is easy to accept the tenets of a single ideology part & parcel, as it often seems we have finally found a niche for ourselves. But we tend to appreciate life more when we create our own niches using information we have gathered from a wide variety of sources. Existence is far more stimulating & complex when we choose to live examined lives founded upon the values & ideas we came across in our investigation of the world around us. Today, your progressive approach to discovery will help you build a life that meets all of the needs you consider sacred." - Daily Om Labels: Daily Om
Saturday, May 02, 2009Life is Getting Back to NormalOr what passes for normal for me. My blood test results came back yesterday & they're back in the normal range so I'm winning the battle against the severe anemia that put me in the hospital for a couple of days earlier in April. The upside to having absolutely no energy to do anything or go anywhere for the past few months is that it gave me the time to really think about what I want to be when I grow up & where I want to be it. Yeah, yeah, I know... we've been down this road before. Several times. I've been suffering through this angst for the past 4 years. But I had an epiphany in late March & the pieces are finally starting to come together. It's true what they say... once I let go of all of the preconceptions I've been carrying around for years, I started to see a whole range of new possibilities & opportunities. While I was waiting to see the doctor yesterday, I had a chance to read through the current issues of Somerset Studio, Artful Blogging & Somerset Digital Studio. I'm a huge fan of a number of Stampington & Company's publications & have been for years. Artful Blogging is a beautifully produced magazine & a great concept but my only complaint is that all of the blogs represented look the same. Maybe it will evolve over time & become a little edgier. One of the things that I love about Art Doll Quarterly, which is also a Somerset publication, is that the content is balanced. There's a little something for everyone. Just in general, I could do without wings, crowns & altered pictures of people's children. Some of the work being done with vintage photographs is fascinating though. It's hard to believe but Spring semester is almost over. The final critique for Photo & Digital Applications in Printmaking was last week & the final critique for Monoprinting is in 2 weeks. I decided against taking any classes summer semester & plan to just devote that time to working in my studio at home. I want to take the printmaking techniques I've learned over the past year & spend some time experimenting. When I got home from class Tuesday night, I cleaned out my portfolio, sorted through the pile of "prints that need to be re-worked" & tossed out the prints that were really a lost cause. No reason to let them continue to sit in the corner mocking me. This morning was spent updating my online profiles, catching up on reading blogs, re-writing my artist resume, re-visiting my goals for 2009, launching a social media marketing campaign for a freelance client & updating my blogroll. The remainder of this weekend is going to be spent proofing some new solarplates & working on some new pieces to enter in a couple of upcoming shows. Right now I'm feeling pulled to earth tones which I very rarely work with & southwestern scenery (desert, rock formations, Zuni fetishes, petroglyphs, etc.) like the scene pictured below.  There's a huge stack of books sitting on my nightstand that I need to get started on also. Titles include Social Media Marketing, The Small Business Start-Up Guide, Free Agent Nation, A Whole New Mind, How to Make It Big as a Consultant, Quantum Success, Living the Artist's Life, Creating a Life Worth Living & the list is likely to grow. Labels: life
Friday, May 01, 2009Fort Point Arts Community Art Walk Visit Fort Point for our 9th Annual Art Walk. Friday, May 8th 4-7 pm Saturday & Sunday, May 9th & 10th 12-5 pm Pick up a map & explore the studios & galleries in Fort Point. Meet over 70 artists, see studios where artwork is created & have an opportunity to purchase art directly from artists. Click here for a list of participating artists. Maps & directories will be available at all participating buildings, as well as at our information booth at the corner of Binford & A Street. Labels: Art Walk, Fort Point Arts Community
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